40 years ago: Haskell chosen as site for Athletic Hall of Fame

It was announced today that Haskell Indian Junior College would be the site of the newly-created American Indian Athletic Hall of Fame. According to Billy Mills, assistant to the commissioner of the Bureau of Indian Affairs, "Haskell was chosen because of its importance to the Indian people and because of its past and present sports programs." The hall would have a temporary home in the Student Union until enough funds could be raised through corporate and private donations to construct a permanent building on the Haskell campus. Mills, who had been a gold-medal winner in the 10,000 meters at the 1964 Olympics after starting his running career at both Haskell and Kansas University, said that a date for inductions had not yet been set. A preliminary list of nominations for inductions included Allie Reynolds, Buster Charles, John Levi, Tiny Roebuck, Walter Johnson, Bruce Goes Back and Beamis Pearce. Another goal of the Hall of Fame was to secure the medals won by Jim Thorpe at the 1912 Olympics.